Suspenders



May 3, 1955 Filed Feb. 19, 1952 INVENTOR.

Unite States Patent O SUSPENDERS Louis Tino, Oak Park, Ill.

Application February 19, 1952, Serial No. 272,297

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-330) This invention relates to suspenders forsupporting trousers and the like.

The waists of trousers and the like are usually supplied with buttonsfor receiving suspenders and with belt loops for receiving a belt forthe purpose of suspending the trousers. In some instances the trousersare not supplied with buttons so that conventional suspenders cannot beused therewith. Quite often a trouser button may become loose or be tornaway rendering conventional suspenders inoperative for the purpose ofsuspending the trousers.

The principal object of this invention is to provide improved suspenderswherein they may be readily, quickly and simply attached to either thetrouser buttons or the trouser belt loops so that the suspenders maysuspend the trousers by the trouser buttons, if they are provided withbuttons, or by the trouser belt loops, if they are not provided withbuttons, or if any of the buttons have been loosened or torn away, or ifit merely be preferable to so suspend the trousers.

In accordance with this invention, the ends of each suspender areprovided with a clasp or upwardly facing hook which is constructed toengage under a trouser button and to receive a trouser belt loop forsuspending the trousers by either, or both, the trouser buttons or beltloops. The clasp is preferably openable and closablc so that it securelyengages under the button when it is closed and receives the belt loopwhen it is opened. Preferably the clasp includes an upwardly facing hookportion having a flattened bottom and a movable closure portiontherefor, the movable closure portion facilitating application of thesuspenders to the trouser buttons and/or belt loops and also securelyholding the same in place when applied thereto. The ends of thesuspenders may be provided with a single hook or clasp or with a pair ofhooks or clasps. In either case the hooks or clasps may be secured tochain-like members extending through loop portions in the ends of thesuspender straps.

Further objects of this invention reside in the details of constructionof the suspenders and in the cooperative relationships between thecomponent parts thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanyingspecification, claims and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates one form of the suspenders of this invention appliedto the belt loops of a pair of trousers;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the suspenders applied tothe trouser buttons;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the suspenders applied toboth the trouser buttons and belt loops;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing another form ofsuspenders wherein the suspenders are fastened to the trouser buttons;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the suspenders applied tothe trouser belt loops;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the chain-like member and clasputilized in the form of suspenders illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 ice Fig.7 is an elevational view of the chain-like member and clasps utilized inthe form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of one form of the hook or clasp contemplatedby this invention.

In Figs. 1 to 3 one form of the suspenders of this invention is shown tobe applied to the waist portion 10 of a pair of trousers or the like 11having the usual belt loops 12 and buttons 13. The suspenders haveconventional suspender straps 15 which may be made adjustable by meansof buckles or clamps 16. The end of the Suspender strap 15 carries aloop portion 17 by means of a clip 18. A chain-like member 19, which maybe made of metal chain, plastic, leather or the like, extends through,and is carried by, the loop portion 17 and each end of the chain-likeportion 19 is provided with a hook or clasp 20. The hooks or clasps 20are constructed to engage under the trouser buttons 13 and to receivethe trouser belt loops 12 for the purpose of suspending the trousers byeither the buttons or the belt loops, or both.

While the hook or clasp of this invention may take many forms, apreferred form thereof is generally designated at 20 in Fig. 8. Here thehook or clasp includes a depending body portion 21 provided at its upperend with a hole 22 for receiving a ring 23 for the purpose of securingthe hook or clasp to the chain 19. The body portion 21 also preferablyincludes an upwardly extending hook portion 24 to provide an upwardlyfacing hook having an opening above the hook portion 24.v Preferably aclosure portion 25 is utilized for closing the hook. This closureportion 25 is preferably pivoted at 26 to the body portion 21 so that itmay be swung to closed position, as indicated in solid lines, or toopened position, as indicated in broken lines. The closure portion isresiliently biased to closed position by a spring 27, the closingmovement being limited by an extension 28 on the closure portion 25engaging the hook portion 24. When the closure portion 25 is closed, theclasp forms a closed loop and when the closure portion 25 is opened, theclasp may readily receive the trouser loops 12 or the thread holding thebuttons 13 in place. The size of the hook or clasp is such that it maybe readily engaged under a trouser button and when in such position thebutton, in use, will not work its way through the clasp, especially whenthe clasp is closed. The book also preferably has a flattened bottom soas to more efficiently fit behind the buttons and receive the beltloops.

In Fig. l the clasps 20 are shown to receive the trouser belt loops 12for the purpose of suspending the trousers. The clasps 20 are readilyapplied to the belt loops 12 merely by opening the closure portions 25thereof. When the belt loops 12 are received in the clasps 20 and theclosure portions 25 are closed, there is no danger of the clasps beinginadvertently disengaged from the belt loops. In Fig. 2 the clasps 20are shown to be engaging under the trouser buttons 13 for the purpose ofsuspending the trousers. Here the buttons 13 may be inserted in theclasps 20, just as in the case of conventional button holes, or theclasps may be en gaged behind the buttons 13 by opening the closureportions 25 for this purpose. The opening of the closure portions 25 forapplying the clasps to the trouser buttons 13 appears to be the simplermethod of applying the clasps to the buttons. When the clasps are soapplied to the buttons, the buttons are firmly held and inadvertentrelease of the buttons is substantially impossible. In Fig. 3 one claspis shown to be applied to a trouser button 13 while the other clasp isshown to be applied to a trouser belt loop 12, the manner of application of each being the same as pointed out above.

Here this arrangement may be used where a trouser button is loosened ortorn away from the trousers.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is illustrated another form of suspenders. Herethe ends'of the chain-like member 19 terminate in, and are secured to, asingle clasp 20. The clasp 20 may engage under a trouser button 13, asillustrated in Fig. 4, or it may receive a trouser belt loop 12, asillustrated in Fig. 5. Here the manner of application of the clasp 20 tothe trouser button and belt loop are the same as described above.

Thus, it is seen that the improved suspenders of this invention may bereadily, quickly and simply attached to either the trouser buttons orthe trouser belt loops, or both, so thatthe suspenders may suspend thetrousers by the trouser buttons, if they are provided with buttons, orthey may be suspended by the trouser belt loops, if the trousers are notprovided with buttons, or if any of the buttons have been loosened ortorn away, or if it merely be preferable to so suspend the trousers.

While for purposes of illustration two forms of this invention have beendisclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this inventionis to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In suspenders having a suspender strap with a loop portion at its endand a chain threaded through and carried by the loop portion, theimprovement for suspending trousers from buttons or belt loops at thetrouser waist, comprising at least one clasp carried by the ends of thechain and including an upwardly facing hook having a flattened bottomportion and a closure member resiliently biased to closed position fornormally closing the hook, and adapted to engage under a trouser buttonand to receive a trouser belt loop, the

closure member being temporarily opened for such reception of the beltloop.

2. In suspenders having a suspender strap with a loop portion at its endand a chain threaded through and carried by the loop portion, theimprovement for suspending trousers from buttons or belt loops at thetrouser waist, comprising a single clasp carried by the ends of thechain and including an upwardly facing hook having a flattened bottomportion and a closure member resiliently biased to closed position fornormally closing the hook, and adapted to engage under a trouser buttonand to receive a trouser belt loop, the closure member being temporarilyopened for such reception of the belt loop.

3. In suspenders having a suspender strap with a loop portion at its endand a chain threaded through and carried by the loop portion, theimprovement for suspending trousers from buttons or belt loops at thetrouser waist, comprising a clasp carried by each end of the chain, eachclasp including an upwardly facing hook having a flattened bottomportion and a closure member resiliently biased to closed position fornormally closing the hook, and adapted to engage under a trouser buttonand to receive a trouser belt loop, the closure member being temporarilyopened for such reception of the belt loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.3,492 Greely June 8, 1869 230,289 Laflite July 20, 1880 359,366 SissonMar. 15, 1887 1,664,345 Belden Mar. 27, 1928 2,132,887 Wells Oct. 11,1938

